The Hunger Games
by pinkpanda376
Summary: The Hunger Games from Peeta's point of view.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! Busy holiday season, so I haven't been writing much. Good news, though, I've started a new one! (Obviously haha) Read, review, and enjoy!**

It's still dark outside when I wake up. Of course it is. Because my father owns the stupid bakery, and I've been trained to wake up before daylight, that way the bakery is open at breakfast, because that's one of our rush times.

I want to stay in bed, but I can't. It's my responsibility to go get things started, since I'm the youngest, and have the most energy, according to my mother. With a sigh, I force myself out of bed and get dressed for the day. I dress a bit nicer than I normally would, because it's reaping day.

I always hate reaping day; there isn't a soul in District 12 who doesn't. The day two children are chosen to go fight in the Hunger Games... The day two children are chosen to be executed, in more blunt terms.

After I get things going for the most part in the bakery, my brother Cyril comes down.

"Morning," he yawns.

"Morning," I say dully.

"_You _look nice," he comments, eyeing my clothes.

"Sarcasm noted. It's reaping day."

"Oh, right. I haven't paid much attention for the past three years, now that I'm out of the loop."

"Lucky you," I say dryly. "Wish I were the same."

"Peeta, relax. Your name's only in there five times."

"Yeah. Five being the operative word. There's a good chance I might get pulled this year."

"Not really. Not as much as Elroy; he's in seven times."

"Talking about the reaping?" my father inquires as he enters.

"Yes. Discussing odds," says Cyril.

"There are boys with far more entries than you, Peeta. Just remember that," says my father.

Just then, Gale Hawthorne, a boy from the Seam enters. "Good morning, Mr. Mellark," he says politely.

"Good morning, Gale. What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to make a trade," says Gale. "What will one squirrel get me?"

"One loaf of bread."

"I'll take it," he says, handing my father a bag, which apparently contains a squirrel carcass.

"Thank you. Peeta, get him some bread, will you?"

I get a loaf of bread out of the back pantry.

Gale is talking to my father when I came back.

"So are you hunting with Katniss today?" asks my father.

I give a start—no one noticed, thank heavens—at the sound of Katniss Everdeen's name. I've loved her since we were five, but she's never noticed me.

"Yes, sir," says Gale. "We're getting an early start so that we can make it back before the reaping. Thank you," he adds as I give him the bread. "I'd better get going. Thank you." His eyes flicker to me. "Good luck today."

"You as well," I say. He walks out.

"He's one of the boys with far more entries. Forty-two, Peeta. He has a family to feed," says my father.

"Oh. They can get that high?"

"Yes. People in the Seam are incredibly poor, as you know, and they can get food in exchange for extra entries. One entry per ration."

"Oh. Well, what about—"

"Peeta, please. Questions later. We need to get working."

I nod as another customer comes in. I put the reaping out of my mind—as much as I can—until it is time to go to the District Square.

I stand with the other sixteen-year-olds when it's about to start. I catch a quick glimpse of Katniss as she makes her way to her spot, about fifteen feet away.

I allow her to become the focal point of my mind to pass the time, tuning out the mayor. I'd loved her since the first day of school when we were five years old. She'd had her now-usual braid parted in two braids, which hung down to the waist of the red plaid dress she had on. I had seen her for a brief moment during the sign-in, with her mother, but didn't get a good look at her until music. When the teacher asked if anyone knew the valley song, she raised her hand, and the teacher had her sing it. I learned in that moment that she had the sweetest voice I'd ever heard, and in that instant, I made up my mind that I was going to marry her.

Now, she is the head and sole provider of her family, her father having died in the mine accident five years ago. She goes out into the woods on a daily basis—illegally, although I don't really care—to hunt, to provide for her family. What really sets my teeth on edge is the fact that she goes with Gale every day. I'm jealous of him, and I suspect that he loves her as well.

It isn't just her bravery and her compassion for her family. She is also intensely beautiful. She has blonde hair, which is always pulled back in a braid, and blue eyes which is deeper than the sky—which is saying something. (**A/N: I was basing it on Jennifer Lawrence. I forgot she was dying it for the movie -.-**)

My attention is turned when Effie Trinket, the escort for District Twelve begins to speak. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever _in your favor!"

She crosses to the glass ball containing the girls' names. She pulls a slip and reads the name aloud. "Primrose Everdeen."

Oh, no. Katniss' little sister. Katniss begins to collapse, but a boy from the Seam keeps her upright.

As Primrose makes her way to the front, Katniss seems to gain control.

"Prim!" she shrieks, darting forward, towards the stage. "Prim!"

She reaches her sister just before the stage, and flings herself in front. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

What? No! _No!_ She can't go to the Hunger Games! It's too dangerous! I have no doubt that she could win, but there are many others who are just as capable.

Effie is talking to her, but I'm getting slightly dizzy. My ears are ringing. _No. She can't go. She can't go. Not her, not her, not her, not Katniss, not her…_

I am jolted out of my inner shrieking when Effie says, "It's time to choose our boy tribute!"

She fishes around in the boys' slips and pulls one out. "Peeta Mellark!"


	2. Chapter 2

What? WHAT? Me? Why me? With shaking legs, I walk up to the front. I pray fervently that Elroy doesn't volunteer to take my place. He doesn't.

I look at Katniss nervously, distraught that I won't ever have a chance to be with her. She looks back at me as the mayor reads the Treaty of Treason. When he finishes reading, he gestures at us to shake hands. We do so, and I find that her hands are smaller, softer, and more delicate than I would expect from a hunter. I give her hand-which is tiny in mine-a gentle, reassuring squeeze. She looks at me, probably surprised that I am not trying to be unattached.

Shortly after this, the Capitol officials come to collect us. They put me in a room alone and lock the door. I pace anxiously until my brothers enter.

"Good luck, Peeta," says Elroy, looking sad.

"Thanks, El," I say, hugging him.

Cyril comes to stand before me.

"Told you," I say with a small smile.

He smiles slightly too. "Take care, Peet."

"Take care of them," I say as the Peacekeepers come to collect them.

My parents enter next. I begin to cry, knowing that I'll never see them again. Not if Katniss is going to win.

My father hugs me and doesn't say anything, but I think he's crying. My mother hugs me also, but she isn't crying. She just looks at me with a slightly sad expression.

We don't say anything until the Peacekeepers come to get them. "Well, maybe this year District Twelve will have a winner," my mother muses as she leaves.

"Maybe," says my father.

"She's a fighter, that one," says my mother.

She. She. My mother isn't talking about me.

She's talking about Katniss.


	3. Chapter 3

I am SOOOOOO sorry about taking so long! It's a long story, but I'll shorten it. Spider bite (I'm allergic to spiders) so I got hives, and when I was at the beach with my friend Josh, my mom went through my room to try and find the spider and kill it, but instead of finding any spiders, she found my fanfiction notebook, which was five subjects full of ideas and chapter outlines and story summaries (literally, no free space. I was writing on the inside of the covers and on the dividers and everything) and she THREW IT AWAY! I am now wracking my highly evolved brain (pfft, yeah right :D) to recover as many stories as possible. I'm SO SO SO SO SO sorry! I'm remembering as much as I can, and I'm recruiting one of my friends to help me, cause she gets full access to my notebook, cause she's awesome. Anyway, I'm working on it as fast as I can, and I hope to update sometime within the next decade -.-

Fly on,

Olivia

P.S. That end part is a preview to one of the categories I'm gonna start doing next :D


	4. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**Hey, guys. Soooooo you're probably gonna hate me for a while, but try not to be too upset with me after I say this. I'm discontinuing The Hunger Games FOR A FEW WEEKS. I haven't updated it in ages, so I guess it's been discontinued for a while, but I'm officially discontinuing this until summer. Even with my new writing times (during class, don't judge!) I don't have time because I'm trying to reference the story with the book so that I get everything. I'll probably start up on it again during June, and hopefully it'll be done by August, because that'll be when I have free time. But I promise I'll finish it—I love writing, and the thought of completely discontinuing it made me wonder why I thought such painful thoughts. So I'll be starting on this again in June. Be patient with me, dear readers. Hang in there.**

**Also, I truly appreciate all the fantastic reviews I've been getting on all my stories. I got bored and checked my traffic stats the other day and my stories (all combined) have over 57 THOUSAND views! Thank you so much, you guys. It means a lot to me.**

**xoxoxoOLIVIAxoxoxo**


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